Albacin III
Albacin III is the third planet orbiting the red dwarf Albacin. The planet has a population of 500 million. Physical characteristics Albacin III is tidally locked to its parent star. The night side is covered completely in ice while the day side experiences an unending hurricane. However, in between these two is a habitable band in the twilight where runoff from the giant hurricane creates a series of swamps and wetlands. Closer to the poles tend to be much drier grasslands. The planet itself is fairly old at least 5.5 billion years old giving the native life forms a lengthy time to adapt to the environment. Albacin is an aged star and it has begun rotating at a much slower rate than other red dwarf stars. As a result, bursts of UV radiation are extremely rare occurrences, allowing for Albacin III's ecosystem to become far more stabilized and suitable for highly unusual, complex life. Ecosystem Albacin III is notably lacking in megafauna likely due to a geological catastrophe millions of years ago. Many animals and plants are imported from Earth, but Albacin III has its own share of exotic creatures. Flora *Glowing mushroom tree - A tall species of fungus native to the Zahar region often used to save on electricity costs. *Lantern lily - A carnivorous plant that floats on water. It attracts Zahar fireflies with its bright glowing stem, and then it shocks it. Like the glowing mushroom tree, they are often used as light sources. Fauna *Zahar firefly - Zahar fireflies are small glowing insects covered in waterproof fur. They tend to gather around the surface of hot springs creating dazzling effects. *Ice grub - The ice grub is a stout, worm-like creature that generates heat to burrow through ice. In Zahar, they are a delicacy, often described as being rich and juicy in taste. *Snatch slime - A transparent, green slime creature that inhabits warm, wet marshes. It feeds by engulfing its prey. Colonization Albacin III was one of the earliest extrasolar colonies of humanity, but for the most part were left to develop on their own with the GFRD occasionally exporting resources until the colony became self sufficient. Independent governments begun to form, nations composed of a single city and the surrounding outskirts. For a long time, transportation on Albacin III was considered a luxury due to the overall lack of paved roads. Because of this, horses were the most efficient and cost effective means of travelling. Over the course of the next few generations, technology eventually caught up to the standards seen on Earth. At a much later point, the Avatar Theocracy discovered this planet making first contact with the human race. It was on this planet where Savien Wesiford, the Avatar-human hybrid, was born. Cities *Vanda - Vanda is one of the largest and most populated cities on Albacin III. It also has an Avatar embassy. *Port Jura - Port Jura serves as both a spaceport and a seaport. A space elevator connects it to Arija Station. *Salva - A city in a mountainous area close to the night side. *Zahar - Zahar is located well-within the night side but next to both a large geothermal vent as well as a large lake. For its constant temperate weather, it is considered a resort. Satellites Albacin III has two fairly large moons. The closest and largest of the two is called Roko, and the further, smaller one is called Mult. Category:Planets